The imprisoned nephew of exiled human rights activist Chen Guangcheng is suffering from appendicitis but being denied medical parole, his father said, in seemingly the latest punishment by authorities against the family.

A lawyer for the imprisoned nephew of Chinese activist Chen Guangcheng says his legal team will likely miss Thursday’s deadline to file an appeal because authorities have denied their requests to meet with him.

Chinese blind activist Chen Guangcheng said in a video released on Sunday that a three-year jail sentence handed to his nephew was “revenge” for his dramatic escape to the US embassy earlier this year.

Police in east China blocked a group of women in Shandong province from congratulating the family of rights activist Chen Guangcheng after the blind lawyer was awarded a US human rights prize, an organiser said on Wednesday.